Impacts of a discontinuity in the doctor-patient relationship on healthcare utilization
Report
|Published
The analysis examines how the use of healthcare services among residents is affected when their regular general practitioner is not available.
Key message
The analysis examines how the use of healthcare services among residents is affected when their regular general practitioner is not available. The results show that such a disruption in continuity leads to a decrease in the number of regular GP consultations by 4-17%, but the decline is reversed if the regular doctor returns. The results also indicate a 3-7% increase in the number of consultations at the emergency clinic, but these results are sensitive to different model specifications. There are no significant changes in acute outpatient contacts, and a small reduction in acute hospital admissions. Overall, the results suggest that discontinuity in the doctor-patient relationship does not negatively affect the health of the residents.